Toys "R" Us: Rise of a 90s Toy Kingdom & Why It Collapsed

Toys "R" Us: Rise of a 90s Toy Kingdom & Why It Collapsed

Remember when a trip to Toys "R Us felt like stepping into a wonderland? The rainbow‑bright aisles, Geoffrey the Giraffe, and the jingle “I don’t want to grow up” made every visit pure magic.

In this nostalgic deep dive, we explore how Charles Lazarus turned a baby‑furniture shop into a global toy empire, the expansion into Kids “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores during the booming 1980s and 1990s, and how the chain became a cultural ritual for 90s kids.

We’ll unpack the missteps—massive debt from a 2005 leveraged buyout, missed e‑commerce opportunities, fierce competition, and shifting play habits—that led to its bankruptcy in 2017. Finally, we’ll see how the brand is being revived through Macy’s partnerships and flagship stores in New Jersey and Minnesota.

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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:20 Background
03:48 Peak Popularity
05:35 Decline
09:51 Legacy

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Credit:
The image/clips are from various sources below
BrokenSphere / Wikimedia Commons
Miosotis Jade / Wikimedia Commons
Evelyn Simak / Wikimedia Commons
Pexel.com, pixabay.com, archive.org and other public domain sources

Copyright Disclaimer: All of the copyrighted commercials/videos clips in this video fall under the Fair Use Doctrine and are only being used as supplemental content that is discussed for educational purposes

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